Automata

The film has the classic "end of the world" backdrop to Asimov's I Robot. The film makers crammed in the concepts of Asimov into a nice package for everyone to grapes. I don't want to add spoilers the review but the charterers of the film were more real in their intent in a classical way to underscore the basic nature of us all. There are some unforgettable lines in the movie , which you will have to watch to hear and understand . The acting and the visuals are not real in the visual sense but they do fit the narration and the atmosphere way better than any other that i could imagine . The film was made thoughtfully with full appreciation of what the film tries to convey , the desolation , the hopelessness , the desperation to survive , the moral concepts , the grandeur of a grand vision , i could keep going but u will have to watch it to understand . A brilliant story told through a brilliant and create mind !

An interesting premise is the key to a quality sci-fi film, and this is something Automata most definitely has. Set in a dystopian, Blade Runner-esqe future where much of the world has been rendered uninhabitable and the remainder of humanity lives in bleak, isolated cities, robots do most of the menial tasks in society. These robots are governed by two unalterable protocols, they cannot harm living beings, or alter themselves or any other robot. When Jacq (Antonio Banderas), a robot insurance claims agent, is sent to investigate a robot which a junkie cop (Dylan McDermott) shot when he saw it repairing itself, he uncovers more and more questions surrounding the robots and their ability to think and develop.

Unfortunately, that is around where the film stops really making sense. Around a third of the way into the film, Jacq is driven out of the city into the wasteland and all character behaviors from just about everyone become puzzling. A series of characters whom you don't really care about make decisions that just don't make sense working towards a finale that simply makes no sense given everything they had told you so far. A complete lack of any notable acting and inconsistent direction fail to save a film that had tons of promise, but completely lacked a second and third act.

Banderas' attempt at a sci-fi flick has great potential but it ultimately falls flat.

It's not because of the story. Although the trailer makes it clear that we're dealing with a recycled idea from Asimov's universe (robots that become more human than some humans), the movie barely scratches the surface of the issues at hand and chooses a middle path between a serious deep movie and an action flick and fails at both.

Banderas' character is the only one that interesting and it's easy to follow him and his point of view all the way from a corporate lackey to a guy involved in some ethical dilemmas. He acts well, way better than the movie average.

The first problem is that there aren't any other well-drawn characters. Everyone else is flat, starting from his family, his boss and his opponents. To call them one-dimensional is giving them too much credit, I would say they are soulless and at some point I was really hoping for them to just die and leave us with the robots and Banderas. I can't fault the actors much, it's the script that didn't give them any chance.

The second problem is the plot. Although the story has potential, the plot fails at acquiring it. It won't take long to see that at some point the actions of the 'bad guys' really stop making sense, they are there just as a really poor excuse for some lame attempts at action sequences (I'm not going to detail this as to not give spoilers, suffice to say that the main pretext for the confrontation between the bad guys and Banderas is not necessary at all, if you stop to think about it for a minute given the situation of the humans in the movie and whatnot).

The last one is the soundtrack. It's absolutely atrocious and the sound doesn't fit with the images at all, especially the music sequences.

I will admit that the movie is entertaining for the most part. But that's it. It wastes an amazing potential, fails to explore itself and just throws some lines and some action at you that lacks logic, common sense and characters (save for Banders and the robots).

Careful marketing goes into the release of a movie, and the descriptions given of the story carry an obvious air of Blade Runner, creating an interest in people like myself. Credit should be given where it is due, and the visual effects and production design in this film are excellent. There is even a persistent plausibility to the world as it is presented, until, that is, it falls to pieces.

For example; the world as it appears, is burning up, its oceans evaporating and people retreating into shelters of man-made walls and weather. Strangely, there is an abundance of paper as businesses are portrayed as operating close to the standards of the mid nineteen- nineties, complete with communicators similar to the original blackberry.

The plot becomes caught between telling the story of the protagonist, and telling the story behind what he has discovered. In this case, despite the believable acting of Antonio Banderas, characters and dialogue often fight to tell differing stories. Whole scenes are concocted to further the plot, while sacrificing any sense of plausibility. People take completely nonsensical actions, in order to stage a circumstance that ultimately loses any credibility as a result. The end picture is that the viewer can see the twists coming far before they are revealed, stripping them of any significant impact. Other characters are so demonstratively shallow that the viewer is likely to cringe whenever they are on film. Other characters will leave you mourning the fact they didn't get more screen time.

Final Verdict: A somewhat passable story, beautifully illustrated, but poorly assembled makes this a less than memorable experience.

It cannot be coincidence that films concerning the integration of humanity and artificial intelligence, including this film Automata, Transcendence, Doomsday Book, Ghost in the Shell Arise, and the Machine, alongside future titles, Ex Machina, Chappie and the next Terminator installment, are been released after Dr. Stephen Hawking discussed how AI is the greatest potential threat to humanity, while at the same time, Dr. David Levy predicts that by 2050, machines will not only be our friends and acquaintances, but potential spouses too.

Back in the late 1980s and early 90s, movies including Hardware and Nemesis, depicted the advancement of man and machine with less than positive results, making for graphically violent features. Similar to films from the past, Automata is not an action film, regardless of the trailer's depiction, and is more film noir. Part Blade Runner, part I, Robot, but still different than either, Automata does contain both violent and sexual content, but these aspects are in minimal supply when in contrast with the other themes explored.

Jacq Vaucan (Antonio Banderas) works for the largest robot manufacturer in the world, his job being to ensure that all robots abide by the strict guidelines they are mandated to follow. Those that attempt to become more human, by having their design augmented by a Clock-Smith, are immediately subject to termination. Unlike other protagonists, Vaucan is not the stereotypical, plucky hero, and is instead forced into a situation that demands action. In a dire, post-apocalyptic world, where few people it seems do the right thing, Vaucan is forced to take a stand.

Other actors, like Dylan McDermott as Sean, and Robert Forster as Bold have smaller roles, and were potentially cast because they are known quantities, however it is potentially Melanie Griffith as the voice of robot Dupre, who is most interesting, her voice helping to provide not only life, but humanity to her character.

Although the story is not as fast paced as other science fiction films of today, the effects are truly beautiful, and provides sustenance to the non-organic characters. A story of survival, moral-bankruptcy, commitment, understanding and evolution, Automata is one of those few intelligent features that makes us question our place in the world, and whether we as humans truly deserve to inherit whatever future may await us. Although the ending is not entirety conclusive, we acquire enough information to adequately summarize how the characters and their journeys may continue after the film comes to a close.